Latest Notes and Updated Information
as of August 25, 2001

Listed below are notes based on my personal experience with these applications or notices I have read elsewhere on the net which I feel may be important to you.

8/25/01 SSL and Security Issues.

I hesitate to mention this because, as yet, it is unproved. However, in order to keep my visitors informed concerning the potential danger that may exist when using Internet Explorer (V. 4.x and above) on a system that has any of these plug-ins installed, I want to let you know that it has been "reported" that even secure pages may not be secure, and that data (passwords, bank information, possible credit card numbers) may be transmitted at the same time the visited web page is transmitted to have the links and colors embedded. Again, I emphasize that this has not been proven and has only been "reported" as a potential security risk.

At soon as more facts about this are available, I will either remove this "warning" or report the updated facts. In the interium, as a precaution, I am only using Netscape or Opera browsers to conduct personal business on the web. You can always visit the Get High (Traffic) Forumsfor the latest information available, but remember this is only a warning and in no way suggests that Internet Explorer is responsible for this. It is just a warning that *if* you have installed any of these spyware components on your system and you are using Internet Explorer (V 4.x+), you *may* be at risk conducting personal business on the web.

8/24/2001 C/NET involvement

C/NET's involvement in promoting and distribution of this type software. Varying views discussing their ethical, or lack thereof, behavior in continuing to offer these downloads without succinct warnings to their users. http://gethighforums.com/Forum28/HTML/000016.html

C/NET has been fully informed (from numerous software technicians) of the the malicious content bundled in this type of software . My personal opinion is that they are ethically responsible to give fair and complete warnings to their users of the risks this type of software can/does impose to their privacy, the stability of their computer systems, and the unethical thievery thrust on unsuspecting web site owners from this kind of program.

8/20/2001 Important!!

I followed the Surf+ instructions to un install this software from my system. Yesterday I ran a detection script to discover what spyware and adware still remained on my computer. What I discovered is that although Surf+ told me the program was uninstalled and my ZoneAlarm pro software showed the program wasn't installed, this detection script found it was STILL resident! I opened Internet Explorer and visited http://www.whirlywiryweb.com/removesurfplus.htm Yep, Surf+ was still hiding on my system and from the slow speed at which Internet Explorer loaded, it was obviously transferring data somewhere! I immediately went to the above site and followed the clear and simple directions to completely remove this scum from my computer!

8/19/2001
Increased Incidences of System Crashes

In order to keep track of which unethical advertisers are intruding on my web pages, I down loaded both TopText (as bundled with eZula) and Surf+ which work only with Microsoft Internet Explorer. I normally do not use Internet Explorer because of all the security holes in this Microsoft software, but to check the unauthorized advertising on my pages requires use of Internet Explorer v4.x and above.

I noticed an increase in the number of system crashes and BSODs (Blue Screen of Death) immediately after downloading eZula and the number has increased again since downloading Surf+. The crashes only happen when using Internet Explorer. This last crash, while using I.E. to visit one of my pages, I received a pop up message to save my work and reboot. After rebooting ZoneAlarm (my firewall software) came up with an entirely different configuration and I was unable to change it. I had to reboot three times and was on the brink of uninstalling ZoneAlarm and reinstalling it when it appeared to return to my normal settings.

This is an alarming event since ZoneAlarm is what protects my system from intrusions and from allowing the spyware to send back personal information.

I cannot prove these crashes and configuration changes are due to the scumware eZula and Surf+, but since nothing else has changed on my system, I am noting it here so you can make up your own mind if these are programs you want installed on your system.

8/19/2001
Redirection to Pornographic Sites

Note: It has been reported that Surf+ has now stopped this practice. However, since I no longer have this offensive software on my system and cannot check whether this is true, I am leaving the warning up until such time as I am convinced that ALL redirection to pornographer or gambling sites has been totally removed.

I just read on one of the webmaster forums I belong to that the links Surf+ adds to web pages are sometimes directing to pornographic sites. Since the links from Surf+ alternate between screens, I cannot tell you which highlighted words may or may not lead to porn sites, but if you have children you may want to be sure Surf+ is removed completely form your system. See Alert-Message for removal instructions.

New Sites about Scumware

New Site with links categorized to help you understand the ramifications to this type of technology.
http://www.freegraphics.com/zz-scumware/

Last updated August 8, 2002 3:57 AM